Under the Mistletoe
by northwest-walking
Summary: Jack is determined to celebrate Christmas. Established Sparrabeth AU. One-shot. Fluff.


**A/N: Haven't attempted PotC fan fiction since 2008 (old username: ambiguousfigurine), but here it is. Some good ol' cheesy Jack and Lizzie. **

**This is dedicated to baltaks/sparrabeth on Tumblr for encouraging me to write this.**

**I have to give credit to wintersoldeirs on Tumblr as well, who inspired us by asking an "****important otp christmas question:**** who has placed mistletoe in every room of the house to get in as many kisses as possible and who is exasperatedly questioning 'this is the 5th timE TODAY WHERE IS ALL THIS MISTLETOE COMING FROM?' before sighing and leaning in"**

**Thank you for reading, and please feel free to review!**

* * *

><p>The mistletoe hung above the cabin door. Frost from the frigid winter had gotten to it, but its identifiable leaves were a dead giveaway. It dangled over Elizabeth's head with a taunt, and she could picture the smirk on Jack's face as he hung it above their room.<p>

_Their _room. She was still getting used to that choice of pronoun. _Them. _Together.

With a furrow of her brow, Elizabeth pulled her fur coat on and marched out to the deck. The entire ship was covered in a light snow, and she didn't dare risk the frostbite. Too many of the crew's fingers had been cut off this winter for her liking already.

"Jack!" she called out, spotting him at the helm. He was standing there, tinkering with something or other.

"Lizzie!" he called out, wavering at her. "Come here, I want to show you something!"

Elizabeth walked up to where he stood, glancing at him up and down.

"What the devil are you wearing?" she asked him, noticing he donned nothing more than his usual attire. "We're not exactly in the Caribbean anymore."

"Are we not?" Jack enquired, glancing around at their surroundings. They had docked in an island far north, and many icebergs sat in the horizon. "Well that's bloody awkward, then, innit?"

Something caught Elizabeth's eye from above. Glancing up, she saw what it was: more mistletoe, dangling from the mast with a piece of string.

"Did you do this?" she questioned, knowing the answer already.

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, love," Jack muttered, bringing her closer to him in an embrace. He brought his lips to hers, and their kiss was long and passionate, sending a chill up Elizabeth's spine that she knew was not caused by cold weather. The kiss begged to go on forever, but Elizabeth finally broke it off to look at the plant that waved in the chilly breeze.

"Jack."

"Hmm?" he hummed, his coal-lined eyes drooped to focus on her flushed lips.

"Why the mistletoe?"

"It's Christmas, love!" Jack exclaimed, raising an arm into the air. "Merry Christmas." His rough hands quickly caressed her sides before dashing away.

"Jack!" Elizabeth proclaimed, but it was no use. He had run off again, down to the crew's quarters.

With an exasperated sigh, Elizabeth followed after him.

As she walked down the steps of the ship, Elizabeth spotted another plant tacked just above her head. She quickly tore it off and stuffed it into her pocket, glaring around the room in search of the culprit.

Jack was standing on his toes over a teetering stool, nailing another piece of mistletoe nearby. Elizabeth glanced around at the entire room, noticing that mistletoe now hung in every possible nook he could have reached.

"Jack!" Elizabeth yelled once again. The hammocks around them were all empty, as the crew had gone off in search of a much warmer brothel nearby.

"Darling!" Jack responded, gesturing to her with the hammer in his hand. The unreliable chair underneath him wobbled, and soon he was falling sideways onto one of the hammocks, tangling himself in the cloth.

"Are you hurt?" Elizabeth asked, running over to him and leaning over.

"Me? Couldn't be better," Jack slurred, his palm rubbing the bandana that rested on his head. Glancing first at the ceiling and then at Elizabeth, he smirked knowingly.

She glanced up with him, spotting yet another piece of mistletoe that had been placed above them.

"Really, Jack," Elizabeth argued, standing up and walking over to the opposite side of the room. "I don't see why all this is necessary. Where did you even get so much mistletoe?"

"I have my sources," Jack replied, getting up and staggering toward her. The fall was still affecting him. "Now how's about that kiss?"

Elizabeth pursed her lips together, attempting to suppress a smirk. Jack smiled back at her, pulling out yet another piece of mistletoe from his pocket and dangling it above them.

Laughing, Elizabeth quickly allowed a quick peck and dashed away, her lover following close behind.

She twirled around the room, and the luxurious fur coat twirled along with her. Jack had given it to her months ago after proposing a mission to the north. He was always one for offering gifts in exchange for new adventures. As long as they were traveling together across the seas, Elizabeth was happy. The presents were simply extra touches of persuasion.

With each turn, Elizabeth and Jack shared a small kiss, and Jack grew more eager every time, attempting to keep her on his lips longer only for Elizabeth to turn around again and again.

They danced around the room for some time, their breathing growing heavy, and Elizabeth giggling more and more with each turn. Finally they collapsed together onto the floor. Jack rolled gently on top of her body, his dreadlocks tickling her neck as he nibbled on her ear, breathing in her scent. He swore to Elizabeth every day that he could never get enough of her, as if his unrepressed affection did not make it obvious.

"I thought pirates didn't celebrate holidays," Elizabeth mumbled, calming down her breaths as Jack pressed delicate kisses down her neck. "Especially Christmas."

"One can always make exceptions," Jack muttered, nibbling on the place he knew would make her breath catch. As if on cue, Elizabeth instinctively arched her back toward him. Jack smirked at this, and lifting up his head, stared into her eyes with a familiar intensity.

"I got you something," he teased, tenderly playing with her hair that had spread out on the floor.

"Really, Jack, this is getting ridiculous," Elizabeth claimed. "You should not go through all this trouble. I do not even _like_ Christmas. In fact, I _detest_ it. I—"

But she was cut off with his mouth claiming hers, coaxing her to stand up and lead her back up the stairs to the deck of their ship.

With his hands leading, Jack brought them to the door of their cabin where the first piece of mistletoe dangled above them.

"One more?" he asked politely, and Elizabeth obliged by kissing him once again. His mouth had always felt like the sea to her. He tasted of freedom, of adventure, of daring swordfights and exotic lands.

And rum. There was always a hint of that as well. As time had gone on, kisses from Jack had begun to taste not only of adventure, but also of home. Elizabeth felt more at home with him on the deck of a ship than in anywhere in the world. Granted, they had been to many places in the world on that very deck, but it was him that made the difference. It was him that helped her realize she could have both freedom and a place to call home.

"Wait here," Jack commanded, holding out his hands. He walked into the cabin alone, and Elizabeth could hear him shuffling through his desk, throwing various books and objects across the room as he dug through the items.

Appearing on the deck again, Jack held something behind his back and grinned at Elizabeth.

"Close your eyes," he suddenly stated, as if the thought had just come to him.

Elizabeth closed her eyes with a smile, waiting patiently for whatever it was Jack was holding. She felt him put something around her neck.

"Okay," Jack said. "Open them."

Elizabeth looked down to see the most beautiful necklace she had ever set her eyes on. She lifted the red pendant to get a better look at it, smiling.

"Oh, Jack," she whispered. "It's beautiful."

"You like it?" he asked nervously. "Snatched it up on our way 'round Africa. It's a red diamond, most rare there is. Thought I'd make it into a necklace fer ya, 'stead of, well—" Jack attempted to finish his thought, but stopped himself. "Anythin' else."

"It's gorgeous," Elizabeth assured him. "I love it."

Jack grinned at this, and Elizabeth could tell how proud he was of himself.

"Merry Christmas, love," Jack said as he brought their lips together again. Without pausing, they both wandered into the cabin together in their warm embrace, leaving the mistletoe to hang above their door.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Review please! **


End file.
